The origin of the Government Pharmaceutical Organization (GPO)began back in 1937 by the founder, Dr. Tua Lapanukrom, whose position was a Director-General of the Department of Medical Science, the Ministry of Public Health. In that time, the GPO was established as one of the division in the Department where its primary mission is to conduct research and development on herbal products since modern medicines were not widely used in the country and mostly had to be imported from abroad. In 1942, the Government Pharmaceutical Laboratory was officially established by Colonel Chaung Chawengsaksongram who, during that period, was the Minister of Public Health of Thailand.

Besides the Government Pharmaceutical Laboratory, another significant division playing important role in the Thai pharmaceutical industry under the Department of Medical Science, was the Department of Medical Depot (found in 1901) whose primary mission concerned procurement of medical products for the government including production of the Household Remedies, the Royal Project initiated by his Majesty the King Bhumibol of Thailand to provide quality and affordable drugs for his people. In 1944, the glorious obligation in Household Remedies production was handed over to the Government Pharmaceutical Laboratory while the Division of Medical Depot was solely responsible for medical product procurement and selling.

In 5 August 1966, the merged organization was officially-established as the Government Pharmaceutical Organization (GPO), a state enterprise under the Ministry of Public Health under the Government Pharmaceutical Organization Act, AD 1966 signed by her Royal Highness Princess Srinagarindra, the Princess Mother. Since then, the GPO has been merely contributing to the Thai society in providing better standing of living for all Thais through a production and supply of quality medicines at affordable prices. The GPO has never stopped developing itself to meet international standards proving to be...